Dhaka, Jan 10 (IANS) The 10th edition of Dhaka International Film Festival - Bangladesh's biggest film event - began Thursday with a competition section, which will feature over 100 full-length films and documentaries from 40 countries.

The competition entries will be judged by a five-member international jury comprising Petrus Van Bueren from the Netherlands, Alexis Krasilovosky from USA, Nenad Dukic from Serbia and Shamim Akhtar and Rahat Khan from the host country.

The Rainbow Film Society is organising the festival in association with the European Union (EU), Embassy of the Netherlands, the Norwegian Embassy, Italy's Religion Today Film Festival and the GMG Airlines, The Daily Star newspaper reported Thursday.

The categories under which films are selected for the festival are Australasian Cinema, Retrospective, Tribute, Cinema of the World, Focus, African Films, Bangladesh Panorama, Independent Film, Women Filmmaker Section, Spiritual Film Session and International Cinema.

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and Belgium-based film organisation SIGNIS will provide the awards.

Commenting on the novelty of the film festival, leading Banglaqdeshi film personality Ahmed Mujtaba Jamal said: 'For the first time we are introducing a 'talent campus' in the festival. Moreover, in association with the French Embassy, we will screen 14 African films. The inclusion of the 'Spiritual Film Division', courtesy of Italian Religion Today, will add a new dimension to the festival.'